Joan B. Escobar

autonomic regulation cardiac vagal neurons chemogenetic DMNX and NA DREADDs oxytocin receptors Significance Statement In this study, we characterize the colocalization of oxytocin receptors (OXTRs) in cardiac vagal neurons (CVNs), as well as non-CVN cholinergic neurons, located in the nucleus ambiguus (NA) and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMNX) nuclei. We found that OXTRs are highly expressed in CVNs in the DMNX, but not in those within the NA.

1 INTRODUCTION Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a highly prevalent, yet underdiagnosed cardiorespiratory disorder, affecting 25–30% of men and 9–17% of women in the United States (Slowik et al., 2024). Characterized by recurrent episodes of obstruction in the upper airway during sleep, OSA impacts sleep architecture and tissue oxygenation, which can give rise to a cascade of consequences spanning cardiovascular, metabolic and neurocognitive domains.

1 INTRODUCTION Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a highly prevalent, yet underdiagnosed cardiorespiratory disorder, affecting 25–30% of men and 9–17% of women in the United States (Slowik et al., 2024). Characterized by recurrent episodes of obstruction in the upper airway during sleep, OSA impacts sleep architecture and tissue oxygenation, which can give rise to a cascade of consequences spanning cardiovascular, metabolic and neurocognitive domains.